Robert Flynn of Machine Head performing at Irving Plaza, February 12, 2000, photo © 2000 NY Rock, more photos

One of the roadies, who was setting up on stage, strummed a guitar to ensure that it was working and the crowd roared again: MUSHY HEAD! MUSHY HEAD!

The show's MC came out and made a few preliminary remarks, "MUSHY HEAD! MUSHY HEAD!" further enlivening the sold-out theater, not that the crowd needed much help along these lines.

Now, there are those among us who think that a photojournalist has an easy job. And if you've ever been in a photo pit, you know that it's located at the very edge of the stage. Great spot, right? Well, it does in fact provide an amazing view of the band and it is, of course, perfect for photos; however, it is also directly in front of towering speaker cabinets that pump out millions of watts of sound. And Mushy Head plays REALLY LOUD!

Robert Flynn of Machine Head performing at Irving Plaza, Feb. 12, 2000 photo © 2000 NY Rock  more photos

The band took the stage around 10:30 pm and they sounded truly awesome. Mushy Head is a high wire, high energy group and, beside the fact that my cranium couldn't have felt worse if someone were striking it directly with a 10 pound hammer, I was quickly captivated, along with the rest of the audience, by the their pulsating aggressive music.

The crowd, in fact, immediately threw itself into some kind of religious frenzy. Major moshing and body surfing soon ensued, and bodies began diving their way into the photo pit like SCUD missiles, causing quite a few photographs of the floor and ceiling to be taken. Like I said, this is no easy job. Be smart, kid, go to college.

How does Machine Head inspire such fervent devotion from its fans? I recently spoke with vocalist Robert Flynn, who believes that the band's diverse sound has a lot to do with it. Unlike their peers, Machine Head blend in some hip-hop banter here and a slow groove there, ultimately distinguishing their aggro-rock music from their metal counterparts. This variation in sound can be heard on their latest release The Burning Red, from the sinister beginnings of the opening track, "Enter the Phoenix," to the yearning pangs of "Silver," the grinding cover of the Police's "Message in a Bottle" (to which Sting has reportedly given the thumbs up) and on to the somber closer and title-track "The Burning Red."

The CD offers much more than your average headbangers' ball. And quite frankly, it's in the quieter moments when Robert's true vocal talents can best be heard. Not to disappoint the reverent metal apostles out there, the music still bangs, pulsates, and screams. But, I agree with Flynn, it's the mix of flavors that ultimately allows Mushy Head to stand heads above the rest.

February 2000